Time's Melody
by RadiantBeam
Summary: Music is addictive. Why? Because sometimes it describes our emotions perfectly. ::Minako x Setsuna:: ::Oneshot, iPod challenge::


Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or the songs used.

Author's Note: Written for the iPod 10 songs challenge, more for fun than anything. Basically you have to put your iPod on shuffle and, for the first 10 songs you hear, write down a drabble. However, once the song ends, the drabble must end as well. Why I find this kind of thing fun is beyond me.

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**Time's Melody**

**01. Sacrifice – Tatu**

Watching over her from a distance was not easy; it had never been easy, even back in the beginning when the girl remembered nothing of her past life, who she had been.

And who she had loved.

Her memories had to come back to her naturally. It was a point Selenity herself had stressed, and it was only echoed by Artemis and Luna. Setsuna wasn't a fool; she knew that trying to force memories on the girl now known as Aino Minako would only cause the child to buckle and break down, putting her through a trauma she didn't deserve.

It should have been enough, but it wasn't.

Pushing away the old temptations and ignoring the chilling whispers in her own heart, Setsuna watched over Minako from a distance and waited—perhaps a bit impatiently and nervously—for the girl to remember everything on her own.

It was only a matter of time.

Right?

**02. I Feel Bad – Rascal Flatts**

Minako had had the sneaking suspicion for months that her relationship with Yaten wasn't working out the way either of them had hoped it would. They didn't fight, really, though it had been expected of them. They'd fallen in love, and they'd fallen out of love just as quickly as a flame extinguishes.

Yaten's first duty had been and always would be to her princess; no matter how she tried, and she tried valiantly, she couldn't love Minako the same way she loved her Fireball.

Minako wasn't in love with Usagi; not in that way, anyway, though she adored the moon hime and would die for her in a heartbeat.

No, as Yaten struggled with her loyalty to her own princess, Minako quietly accepted the fact that her heart belonged to a woman with long dark green hair and quiet garnet eyes.

Saying goodbye hadn't been as painful as they'd thought it would be.

Minako almost wished she'd cried. At least a little bit.

But the truth was, she had no regrets.

**03. Taking Over Me – Evanescence**

Haruka had never believed in ghosts, and she'd only seen the mother of Usagi fleetingly back in her time in the Silver Millennium; her memories of that were even dimmer. She'd had a vague impression of the silver-haired woman with blue eyes, but that was it.

But she and Michiru both noticed it, not long after Minako and Setsuna got together. A new enemy had appeared; a ghost it seemed, so pale and slim that no one could identify it. She never attacked Setsuna, not deliberately; in fact, much of her rage, her hatred, seemed aimed at Minako.

Haruka knew Setsuna would never tell her or Michiru about the true nature of her relationship with Selenity, but the senshi of the wind didn't need it. With narrow eyes she watched Setsuna tend to Minako's bruised knuckles, the way the older woman affectionately brushed blonde hair out of playful blue eyes as Minako tried to joke the incident off.

"Dammit, I don't care who you are or what she was to you," the track star muttered, turning away. "You can't have her back, you bitch. She's not yours anymore, and you can't have her back."

**04. I Will Always Return – Bryan Adams**

The pain was incredible, but Minako fought her way through it; all she could see was faded gray, brief flashes of light and color, but she plunged on.

Her whole body was in agony, but she fought against it, reaching blindly in the darkness like a child. Her eyelids felt heavy and her breathing was sluggish and pained, but she drew breath regardless and held on.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the lights blurred and faded away; the gray cleared, and the colors disappeared. Shadows smoothed out and shapes became definite as she squinted her eyes, groaning a bit in pain.

"Minako."

Setsuna was by her side in a heartbeat, gripping her hand tightly in her own; with a ragged laugh the senshi of love lifted a shaking hand, stroking the older woman's cheeks.

"Hey… why are you crying, Sets-chan? I told you nothing would take you away from me, remember?"

Setsuna laughed shakily, catching Minako's hand in her own and turning it to press her lips to the younger girl's palm. Tears fell despite her best efforts.

"Yes. You did, Minako. You did."

**05.Final Answer – The Calling**

She'd tried her best to change the girl's mind; she wanted the others to know that, before they jumped her and started asking her questions.

Setsuna had tried her best to talk Minako out of it. The young princess of love was just that—young, beautiful, carefree. What could she possibly want with the senshi of time, a woman older and more scarred than she could ever be? Setsuna loved her too much to put her through that.

But Minako had waved it off like she always did, and when Setsuna finally broke down and told her the truth—"Why me? When you could have anyone, someone more fitting for you!"—the blonde hooked her arms around the dark-skinned woman's neck and smiled, her eyes warm.

"Because I don't want anyone. I want you."

Humbled, Setsuna touched her forehead to Minako's and closed her eyes. "Remember that when Artemis loses his temper," the older woman murmured softly, her lips twitching.

Minako just laughed and kissed her.

**06. You Won't Find This – Carrie Underwood**

Aino Minako had always been haunted by the memory of Alan; but surprisingly, when the dark-haired man came to her door not long after the departure of the Starlights, she didn't feel any flicker of romantic emotions for him.

He was having trouble with Katarina, he told her, and needed advice. As Minako sat with him, held his hand and soothed him as he broke down and cried, Setsuna stepped quietly into the kitchen and offered him a fresh cup of tea. He drank it, thanked her, and seemed to settle.

Once he was gone, Minako sighed tiredly. A pair of warm, strong arms circled her waist and she smiled, leaning back quietly into Setsuna as the older woman held her close. "Problems at home?"

"Hmm. He came all the way to Japan to tell me. He and Katarina had a fight."

"We have fights." Setsuna frowned contemplatively. "Not like that, though."

Minako laughed and reached down, clasping her fingers with Setsuna's.

"Well, hopefully things will work out."

**07. Hanging By A Moment – Lifehouse**

She clung to the memories like a sailor clings to a piece of driftwood at sea after a shipwreck, with a desperation and anguish that no one else could possibly understand even if they tried.

Haruka had browbeaten her into getting something to eat, but the senshi of time had immediately returned to Minako's bedside after. The doctors and her fellow comrades had tried to talk her into going home, but she'd soundly brushed them off or ignored them.

She wasn't leaving without Minako.

Watching the girl sleep on the bed, looking impossibly pale and small, Setsuna swallowed a hot lump of tears and leaned forward, gently brushing her hand against Minako's cheek.

She prayed that the girl of her memories would return, and soon.

Because memories were nice, but they were only moments in time.

She wanted to have more moments with Minako—hopefully a lifetime of them.

All she had to do was wait for her to wake up.

**08. Erase – Mika**

For the longest time after losing Setsuna, Minako tried to get rid of everything in the house that reminded her of the older woman.

She failed. Miserably.

She'd tried. She hadn't been able to move the photographs, only turn them face down. She'd even tried to throw out those roses Setsuna had bought her once on whim, but all she'd ended up doing was stand over the trash can, weeping like a fool.

In the end, she kept them. They haunted her, but she kept them.

If her social circles told her anything, Setsuna was just as miserable as she was.

But she'd been the one to mess up.

Deciding it was time to swallow her pride and grovel, Minako picked up the phone and dialed Setsuna's number.

If crawling would get the older woman to come back, Minako was more than willing to do it.

She simply couldn't continue living without her.

**09. Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John**

Minako loved The Lion King. She loved it the way a child loved candy. She even had all the songs.

She let Setsuna borrow it once, on a dare to get the older woman to figure out which song was her favorite. The senshi of time had listened carefully to each song, turning the lyrics over in her mind and trying to figure out which ones would appeal to Minako and why.

When she figured it out, she grinned like an idiot.

Minako came by later that day to get her CD back. As Setsuna gave it to her, she smiled slyly. "So, did you figure out which one was my favorite?"

"Hmm. Possibly."

"Yes or no, Sets-chan?"

Instead of answering, Setsuna cupped the younger girl's chin, tilted her head back, and kissed her. Soundly.

When she pulled back, Minako was grinning like a fool, and her eyes were glowing. "Yes," the older woman said mildly, smirking. "I figured it out."

With a sigh, Minako snuggled against her. Setsuna chuckled quietly, holding her close and figuring it was just like Minako to tell her the truth through a song.

**10. From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart – Britney Spears**

Setsuna was ready to beat her head against the wall. Or, at the very least, go out and get drunk. She had never considered doing either before, but these weren't normal circumstances.

What had she done? She'd screwed up. Royally. Her first honest chance at love, and she'd chased Minako away. To protect the girl, yes. To let her find someone who was more worthy of her love, sure.

She felt ready to die.

It didn't help that every time she imagined Minako with someone else, she felt the rising urge to strangle something. Or someone. She could always go back in time and stop herself from doing it later.

And Minako loved her. Had loved her. She'd said that much before she'd left in tears. She'd also said she could forget Setsuna.

With something akin to a growl, the dark-haired woman stalked to her closet and yanked out her coat, sliding it on to ward off the December chill. Forget her, would she? Oh, Setsuna would like to see her try.

Her heart had been broken just as badly as Minako's, but she was going to do something about it. She stopped, running a hand through her hair. But why?

Dammit, that was easy. Because she loved Minako.

She loved her.

She was doomed.

Swallowing against a ball of nerves, Setsuna opened the door.

And nearly ran into Minako in her hurry to get out.

When the blonde-haired girl launched herself into Setsuna's arms and buried her face into her neck, Setsuna just held her. And they both cried.

**The End**

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Last drabble was the hardest out of these; I really came down to the wire with it. (laughs) Sorry if some of these don't make sense, but that's how my inspiration works under time pressure.

Read and review, please!


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